The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 228 - 114 Wound
The next day, early in the morning, Gan Guoyang got up at his usual time just after 5 AM. Unfazed by any storm, he put on his sneakers, washed up, and went out for a run.
The neighborhood where Charles Barkley lived was quite nice; the guy used to be terrified of poverty, so he indulged himself as much as he could now that he had money.
After running for more than an hour and returning home, Gan Guoyang found that Barkley had already gotten up, but he was squatting in the bathroom and not coming out.
"Charles, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"It’s nothing... Probably... Ate too much last night..."
Last night, Gan Guoyang made burgers for Barkley, adding a bit of his stir-fry cooking skills while frying the patties. Barkley found them so delicious that he wolfed down 37 in one go.
From being clumsy at first, Gan Guoyang got very proficient at it, and then extremely irritated, thinking that if this kept up, he might as well open his own burger joint.
Eventually, Barkley was fully satisfied, convinced that these were the best burgers he had ever eaten in his life.
Gan Guoyang didn’t eat a single one; ever since he started his professional basketball career, he had steered clear of such high-calorie foods.
Though they tasted great, the excessive fat and cholesterol could lead to cardiovascular problems.
Basketball players have intense demands on their cardiorespiratory systems. Long periods of high-intensity exercise coupled with eating high-calorie, high-fat foods meant there was a high probability of future cardiovascular issues.
Many basketball players developed heart and cerebrovascular diseases later in life, and given their tall stature and the significant pressure on their heart and vessels, not a few passed away prematurely.
Gan Guoyang finally had the chance to live once more, and he wanted to live a few more years and play basketball for as long as possible, so he paid a lot of attention to his diet.
The last time he ate a burger was after the draft, when he went to McDonald’s with Jordan. At that time, although both were celebrated throughout America, they weren’t yet stars.
Now, if Jordan wanted to go to McDonald’s with Gan Guoyang again, it would be impossible without bringing along seventeen or eighteen bodyguards.
When Barkley emerged from the bathroom, he looked weak, with cold sweat on his forehead.
Gan Guoyang said, "Charles, you’ve got a stomachache from eating too much, right? Let me take you to the hospital to check it out!"
Barkley hurriedly protested, "No need, no need, I... I’ll just take some medicine. Really, it’s just too much food, I’m very healthy. I could eat mud and still digest it and crap it out. Don’t worry, we still have a big game tonight, and I’m sure I will grab more rebounds than you!"
Gan Guoyang was worried about Barkley and feared that his burgers might have caused the problem. He asked Barkley if the patties were fresh.
Barkley replied, "They were just bought recently, nice and fresh!"
"How recent is recently?"
"Well... around Christmas time?"
"You call Christmas recent?"
"Burger patties can last a long time. When I was a kid, we could keep them in the fridge for a year and they would still be eatable."
In theory, if meat products are deep-frozen, they could indeed be stored in a cold store for many decades and still be consumable when thawed out.
But home refrigerators aren’t that powerful, and issues such as power outages can easily spoil the food.
In the end, Gan Guoyang couldn’t convince Barkley, who stubbornly refused to go to the hospital, and told Gan Guoyang to join the team’s gathering earlier.
As he was leaving, Gan Guoyang said, "Charles, I’m telling you, I won’t go easy on you during the game. Be careful or you might end up shitting yourself on the court because of me."
"We’ll see who makes who crap out! See you tonight, Sonny!"
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On the night of March 1, at the Capital Center in Washington, the Washington Bullets and the Portland Trail Blazers clashed for the first time this season.
The Capital Center, with its ceiling shaped like a potato chip, was one of the finest arenas in the 70s and 80s. A huge, colorful screen hung above the floor, allowing for replays of exciting moments in the game, providing a clear view of the action even for those sitting in the back rows.
Such equipment later became standard in all large indoor sports venues across America.
With a decent record this year, the Bullets were mid-ranked in the Eastern conference and had a fair shot at the playoffs, drawing a sizeable crowd at the Capital Center tonight.
It was a stroke of luck for the Bullets to have drafted Charles Barkley, giving them a versatile future star player—the very thing the Bullets had long been lacking.
Their starting lineup featured center Ruland, power forward Charles Barkley, small forward Greg Ballard, shooting guard Jeff Malone, and point guard Gus Williams.
On the bench sat hefty Rick Mahorn, Tom McMillen, Charles Jones, and a host of other tough players.
The Bullets had accumulated a plethora of frontcourt players in their lineup to contend with the Celtics’ formidable frontcourt trio.
However, the Bullets’ frontcourt was robust but lacking in finesse and experience. Their most versatile talent was Ruland, who stood at the center circle ready to jump ball against Gan Guoyang.
This 6-foot-11 big-man with bear-like broad shoulders had only just returned from injury and had played in only around 30 games this year due to health issues.
Before the game, Gan Guoyang had watched a video montage of his plays; this was a very versatile center with a unique style of play.
He had outstanding skills, relying on strength and footwork under the basket, and he had a long shot from outside, capable of hitting three-pointers.
At the same time, he was quite good at handling the ball, often taking the rebound and dribbling all the way to the frontcourt for a slam dunk.
These characteristics were almost identical to Gan Guoyang’s, only with some concessions.
Ruland also had abilities that Gan Guoyang didn’t currently possess, such as a strong capability for strategic passing.
He averaged 4.4 assists per game and was especially adept at making one-handed long cross-court passes, much in the style of European big men—he had played in the professional league in Spain for a year.
This season he was selected for the Eastern All-Stars but didn’t participate in the game because of an injury.
Approaching the playoffs and with the season on the line, Ruland, who had previously fractured his foot, chose to make a comeback to prepare for the final sprint into the postseason.
Gan Guoyang knew about Ruland’s injury and said before the jump ball, "It’s best not to make a hasty comeback when you’re injured. I won’t go easy on you during the game. If you get bumped or knocked, it could worsen your injury."
Ruland knew of Gan Guoyang’s "ferocious reputation," but he wasn’t intimidated; most of the big men playing in the NBA were tough players.
Gan Guoyang then looked towards Charles Barkley, who had been looking blank-eyed and listless since he entered the arena, making one wonder how many times he had used the restroom that morning.
Gan Guoyang expressed concern, "Charles, are you sure you’re okay? Your bottom seems to have slimmed down."
Barkley replied in a hoarse voice, "Bring it on, Sonny, and see how I kick your ass."
Before the jump ball, Gan Guoyang noticed Ruland was wearing Nikes and said, "Wearing Nike can be risky; I advise you to wear Avia, which is specially designed for centers and can reduce the risk of foot injuries."
Gan Guoyang didn’t forget to advertise for Avia, as the referee tossed the ball into the air to start the game.
Limited by his injury, Ruland obviously hesitated to jump hard, and Gan Guoyang tipped the ball, giving the Trail Blazers the first offensive possession.
The Trail Blazers were likewise affected by injuries; in addition to Vandeweghe missing tonight’s game, Valentine was also absent due to injury.
Steve Colter replaced Valentine in the starting lineup, with guards Parkson and Drexler on the perimeter, and the inside pair remained Gan Guoyang and Thompson.
This season, Gan Guoyang and Thompson had truly been iron men for the team; if either of them was to fall, the Blazers’ inside game would collapse—there really was no one else.
The game had just begun, and Gan Guoyang came up high to receive the ball and assist his teammates, a recent change Ramsay had made, asking Gan Guoyang to facilitate more for his teammates in the first and second quarters.
Because teams had begun to target Gan Guoyang’s posts and high shots, if he could use his defensive pull to open up the offense for his teammates, the opposition’s tactics would break down on their own.
Holding the ball high, Gan Guoyang fed Mitchell Thompson in the low post, who twice managed to overpower Barkley and score. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
One was a hook shot after a turn, the other a simple layup after muscling his way under the basket.
Limited by his height, Barkley was already at a disadvantage when defending.
That night he seemed particularly lackluster in the post, and Gan Guoyang didn’t hold back, taking every opportunity to play against him.
The Blazers quickly pulled ahead in the first quarter, the Bullets’ frail inside defense led to consecutive losses of points, and Barkley also made some mistakes on offense.
At that time, Gan Guoyang didn’t verbally kick Barkley when he was down—after all, Barkley had gotten sick from eating his burger.
Gan Guoyang just warned Barkley, "If you’re feeling too bad, sit out, kid. You’re going to hurt the team like this."
"Mind your own business... I know what..."
As they were talking, Barkley suddenly surged under the basket and grabbed an offensive rebound.
Just as he was about to shoot, Gan Guoyang rushed over from behind and smashed Barkley’s attempt with a big block.
Under the heavy impact, Barkley was knocked to the ground by Gan Guoyang, laying there and wincing in pain.
"Hey, Charles, you alright?"
Barkley rolled over, clutching his knee, his face contorted with pain.
Had he hit his knee? Gan Guoyang was very concerned.
The Bullets’ team doctor came over to inquire about Barkley’s condition.
After a short while, the team doctor helped Barkley up, and he limped back to the locker room with assistance.
The fans at the venue booed Gan Guoyang, while everyone worried whether Barkley might be injured.
This jolly fat man was currently the most popular basketball player in Washington.
Amidst his concern, Gan Guoyang thought he hadn’t exerted much force on that play, and the referee didn’t call a foul.
How could Barkley hurt his knee by falling like that, and why was he holding his bottom as he left?
He fell forward, didn’t he!
